Innovation Inspiration : 2013, The Year of Gamification?

12 Feb 2013|Added Value

To receive Jonathan Hall’s monthly newsletter on Innovation, directly in your inbox subscribe here. The buzz around gamification has become feverish over the last couple of years. Check-in apps like Foursquare brought it to the mainstream, allowing customers to engage in a competitive way with their favourite brands (anyone become Mayor of their favorite restaurant or store?). This month we explore how gamification has become a credible means of transforming a business both externally and internally.

What is gamification?
In essence, it involves applying game principles (fun, play and challenge) to the business world. Frequent flyer programs were one of the first examples, but examples nowadays go way beyond. The goal is engagement, and many believe gamification has the potential to reshape business as we know it.

How can you use it?
Not only can gamification be used to engage customers, it also has the potential to spur innovation by motivating employees. Gartner predicts that by 2015 more than 50% of businesses will gamify their innovation processes, and that more than 70% of Global 2000 organisations will have at least one gamified app.

Can all industries gamify?
And it’s not just about consumer goods companies with youth targets. Any industry can apply gamification to their products & services – and internal processes. Take a look at these stunning examples of how players in mature industries, like healthcare, education and banking, are using it to transform their business and gain competitive edge.

But why is it taking off right now?
Answer: gamification is the first tech trend to make sense of Big Data. To quote Maximilian Lemos, “The glue that holds gamification together, making it a viable solution, is the ability to analyze large sections of data very quickly.” As organisations grapple with how to begin to make sense of the mountains of data they now have at their disposal, gamification analytics allows businesses to take hold of millions of user actions every day.

Still not sold?
Read why these 6 experts believe gamification is critical for both our work and social lives.

From TV shows to communications to electronics.
These 3 companies have successfully implemented gamification into their products and services. Crucially, it’s not about assigning points or giving out badges, but about making it a meaningful experience for your customers.

Gamification is new, and businesses are still figuring out what works.
Even the big brands don’t get it right every time.